Post-driver



(No Model.) 2 Shee1;s-Sheet 1.

H. E. FAIRMAN.

POST DRIVER. I No. 285,881. Patented Oct. 2, 1 883.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. FAIRMAN.

POST DRIVER.

No. 285,881. Patented Oct. 2, 1883.

'NITED STATE PATENT ()rricn.

HARRY E. FAIRMAN, OF PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN.

POST-DRIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 285,881, dated October .2, 1883.

Application filed May 29, 1883.

T aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY E. FAIRMAN, of Plymouth, county of WVayne, and State of Michigan, have invented an Improved Post- Driver; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in post-drivers.

These improvements consist in means for adjusting the vertical guides for raising and tripping the weight for setting the machine, and in other details of construction, which I shall hereinafter fully explain by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of the running-gear. Fig. 3 is an end view of a detail showing bar I E. Fig. 4 is a top view of the framing. Fig.

not shown.

5 is a detail of stopping device for rope I.

A represents, generally, the running-gearof an ordinary wagon, consisting of the axles, bolsters, and hounds, the wheels being herein It is upon this gear that the machine is supported.

B is a false bolster, secured upon the rear bolster of the wagon. Upon this rest the side beams, C, of the frame. These converge forward, and by means of a chain-connection, a are united to the forward part of the reach of wagon-gear in such manner as to permit their rear parts to swing laterally. Their rear ends pass through guides b on the false bolster, and are adapted to slide sidewise therein, as I shall presently explain.

To the rear endsof the side beams, G, is secured transversely a bar, D, upon which is a bearing, (1, in which is pivoted a bearing, 0, of a bar, E, above bar D. (See Fig. 3.) This pivot-connection is so arranged as to permit the bar E to have a rocking motion in the direction of its length.

Upon bar E are secured the side bars, F, which support the vertical guides G. These guides are pivoted at g in the ends of the bars F, and are adapted to have a swinging movement in the direction of the length of the wagon.

Across the side beams, C, at about their center, is secured a quadrilateral frame, H, to which the forward ends of the barsF are 'pivoted by means of a plate, 71, which permits (No model.)

the side rock which is imparted to said bars by the rocking bar E.

Pivoted to bar E is a lever, I, one end of which extends rearwardly, while its forward end is secured to the false bolster B, Fig. 4. This lever is the means by whichone adj ustment of the guides is made. The false bolster being stationary and main side beams, C, being pivoted, the movement of lever I moves said beams C to either side, thus carrying the guides either one way or the other to adjust them over the post. The rocking frame, consisting of bar E and bars F, will permit the adjustment of the guides sidewise to or from the perpendicular, while the fact that the guides themselves are pivoted will allow of an adjustment forward or back. These adj ustments I accomplish by the following means: Pivoted centrally, near each end of the quadrilateral frame II, are the lever-bars J. To the outer ends of these are pivoted pitmen K K, the upper ends of which are connected by a loose joint with the guides G. Connected with the inner ends of the levers J are rods L, which extend rearwardly, engaging with racks Z011 the ends of bar E, and are provided with handles for convenience. By pulling these rods L either simultaneously or independently, and at different times, the guides G- may be adjusted to or from the perpendicular from each side, or forward and back. The motion is transmitted through the swinging levers J and pitmen K.

M are tracks for supporting the swinging levers J. Thus by the three adjustments which I have described the guides G may be set in any desired position. These adjustments are necessary by reason of the use of the machine. It is drawn from post to post by horses, and requires to be so set that its guides G shall be in proper position to have its weight strike the post fair and square.

\V is the weight or hammer, fitted within and adapted to move up and down in the guides upon the principle of an ordinary piledriver.

I shall now describe the means by which I raise and trip the hammer.

N is the tongue. This has a band, a, on its rear end. The center of this band is severed, and is bolted to the under side of the tongue,

Fig. 2. By removing the bolt the severed ends may be made to overlap more or less, in order to extend or contract the sides of the band, to make them fit various widths of hounds or tongue-couplings, whereby the tongue may be attached to any wagon. The sides of the band a fit within the hounds, and are secured thereto by a bolt, a. Upon the tongue is fitted a bar, N, sliding in guides thereon. To this sliding bar N the whiffletrees are attached, and the horses are hitched thereto. When moving from place to place, any means may be em ployed to fix the bar Nas by pins 1', for example. By removing the pins the bar N is free to slide out on the tongue.

Upon the sliding bar N, near its rear end, is a bearing, 0, in which is pivoted a hook, 0, having a handle, 0. This hook and its handle are of the shape of an elbow-lever, pivoted at its angle.

P is the hoisting-rope. This is attached to 1 the hammeigthence'passes up over pulley p,

and down around pulley p and forward. Its forward end is provided with a knot, 7r, which forms a stop, and a ring, k,-with which the hook 0 engages.

The front of side beams, G, is provided with a cross-bar, 0, between which and the front bolster the hoisting-rope passes. This space is large enough to permit the knot or stop It to pass back, if by some chance the hammer should fall lower than is wanted; but ordinarilythe. stop It strikes a rocking flap of wood, j, which is backed by a cross-peg, q,- but when the hammer goes too far, the stop It, striking the rocking flap j, turns it inward and breaks the peg 9, thus allowing it to pass without injury to the machine, Fig. 5.

Q is a guide-rope. This is secured at its rear end to the frame H. It thence extends through the space forward betwcenthe crossbar 0 and the front bolster, and is secured to the forward guide upon thetongne N.

The forward end of hoisting-rope P is provided with a ring, r, which fits upon the guiderope Q. When everything is, ready, the horses are driven forward. They carry forward the sliding bar N and the hoisting-rope, thus raising the hammer. When elevated sufficiently, the handle 0 of hook 0 is forced backward, thus causing the hook to disengage from the ring it. The hammer drops and the rope P is carried back by it. In this sudden movement of the rope there is no swinging about or flying, for its ring r travels back 011 the guiderope Q and holds its steady. An advantage is gained by thus causing the rope to go back namely, that of getting it back to position in the shortest and best way. Its stop It limits it, and it is ready to be again hooked when the sliding bar N is returned. I avoid all complicated-clutches or nippers and tripping devices by these means, and the device may bebolts s,-and having a crank-handle, S. By turning the bentbar up it acts as a rest for the hammer when it is necessary to hang it up.

Its crank-handle Sis to be made heavy enough to cause the rest to drop outward when released from the hammer, thus getting it out of the way. by moving the cyebolts up or down in the guides.

T is a rope secured to the rear end of one of the side beams, (3. It has a loop, 2, in its end, and is adapted to engage with a hook, w, on the rear end of the other side beam, 0. This hook w is similar to the hook 0 both in construction and operation. The length of the rope T is determined by the distance between the posts to be driven. After one post is driven, the rope T is fitted over it. and the machine is advanced until stopped by said rope. This indicates the place for the next post. Vhen ready to move on, the loop tis tripped, and the rope is fitted around the 1305 t just driven. The rope T thus acts as a gage and as a stay for the machine.

This rest may be adjusted vertically.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a postdriver, the wagon-gear A, in combination with the false bolster-B, the pivoted side beams, O, the cross-bar D, bar E, and side bars, F, the guides G, and the lever I, pivoted on bar E and secured to-the false bolster B, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

2. In a post-driver, a frame or foundation, in combination with the rocking bar E, pivoted side bars, F, and guides G, pivoted in' said side bars, and the means for rocking said bars Eand swinging the pivoted guides, consisting of the pivoted levers J, the pitmen K, and the rods L, all arranged and operating substantially as herein described.

. 3. In a post-driver, the wagon-gear A, the false bolster B, pivoted side beams, 0, crossbar D, and the lever I, in combination with the rocking bar E, pivotedside bars, F, swinging guides G, and the means for adjusting said guides, consisting of the pivoted levers J, pitmen K K, and rods L, all arranged and op erating substantially as herein described.

4. In a post-driver, the guides G and weight or hammer W, in combination with the slid ing bar N, having hook o, and the rope I connected with the hammer, and having a ring, 70, engaging with the hook, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

5. In a post driver, the wagongear A, guides G, and weight or hammer W,'in combination with the tongue N, sliding-bar N, rope 1?, connecting the hammer with the sliding bar, a means for tripping said rope from said bar, and the guide-rope Q, upon which the end of rope P travels, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

6. In a post-driver, the wagon-gear A, and

side beams, 0, having cross-bar c in front,

esizssi 2 whereby a space is left between it and the front bolsters, the guides G, and weight or hammer \V, in combination with the tongue N, sliding bar N, rope P, connecting hammer and sliding bar, said rope passing between the crossbar 0 and front bolster, and having a stop, k, on its forward end, and a means for tripping said rope, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

7. In a post-driver, the wagongear A, in combination with the removable tongue N, and the means for adjusting it to the wagon, consisting of the expanding band n and bolt a,

HARRY E. FAIRMAN.

XVitnesses I C. D. Conn, J. H. BLooD. 

